Holiday Collections 2008

The Muse was wondering who’s Carmine and why do you adore him so much?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Love ya!the Muse

You know when the Muse was about 15 she knew a guy named Carmine who was about mmmm 6 or 7 years older than herself (Actually come to think of it I probably know more than one Carmine considering my mother is Italian!). I can still recall sitting on our front porch and watching him mow my parent’s front lawn while my best friend at the time, Maria-Teresa (don’t mind the name all Roman Catholic Portuguese parents think it’s a swell idea to name their kids elaborate saintly names! Look at my name and you can totally understand what I mean! I’m a mix of an Italian mother and a Portuguese father…see whatI mean?) and I sat on the porch gawking at him. Needless to say he’s married now with 3 kids, a pot belly, and a receding hair line…..He kinda still looks alright aside from all that!

Since MAC wasn’t quite specific with who Carmine was I’m officially announcing that they mean “adoring Carmine Giovinazzo” because he’s hot and stuff!

I prefer the geeky CSI Carmine but you can have the Italian Stallion one if you prefer! The Muse isn’t picky!

I can never truly resist the evil temptation of MAC brush sets as they are such a fabulous deal! I stopped at Nordies a few nights ago to pick up Chanel Gold Highlighting Powder and right next door was the gorgeous MAC Holiday Collection staring at me and twinkling under the glaring department store florescent lights. I think I heard angels sing but I can’t be too sure as sometimes the voices in my head overpower everything else!

I was shocked too notice that Nordies had these marked as $35 USD so I suggest getitng your butt in gear and heading over to snatch some up as the price is nearly $15 USD off retail from MAC directly and other department store counters.

Granted, $49.50 for the set is not a bad price at all however if you can save $15 why not right!?

I get quite a few emails and comments daily asking after the quality of the brush sets which is why I choose to do a feature review on one of the three brush sets available. I think they are a fabulous deal for the price, I said it last year and I’ll say it this year, they are truly a good deal.

Breaking down the original cost of $49.50 USD for four brushes evens out to around $12.50 per a brush in the face brush set and even less if you purchase the other sets which have five brushes instead of four. If you break it down from $35 USD you’re getting an even bigger break at $8.75 USD per brush.

Quality?

Check.

The number one question I get asked about brush sets is if these mini versions are as good as the large size and personally I feel like they are about the same as if you’d purchase a larger size in them. I like the mini size as they travel very well and are easier on storage, especially if you have a large stash of brushes already plus the quality far surpasses the inexpensive price tag! So yes, the Muse feels like the quality is great and very, very similiar to full size brushes!

The brush set I have here is the MAC Adoring Carmine Face Brush Set which contains four brushes, a mini pouch, and a barrel makeup pouch. Normally these sets only come with one bag and I thought it was rather random to include the mini pouch but hey cool beans an extra case is always welcome!

The two main brushes that thrill me in this set are the 187, commonly known as the skunk brush and the 168 which is a contouring blush. 187 offers soft and expert application for blushes and it also works a treat for highlighting powders or shimmering powders that need a light touch! The 187 is ideal for buffing foundation onto the skin as well and creating a flawless look to foundation! The 168 works great with contouring powders or applying blush. I also use the 168 for a light application of powder under my eyes as it fits the contour of my under eye area perfectly!

Also included with this set is the 190 and the 194. The 190 has a nice wide, flat head to use with powder, liquid, or cream foundation. This glides beautifully around the T-Zone to apply foundation with ease. It works best with cream or liquid but can easily double up to brush a light dusting of powder around the face if you so desire. Although I’ve always felt the 194 was a complete waste, I admit to having a new found liking for it as it works very well at applying concealer with ease minus tugging and pulling on the delicate eye area!

All the brushes feature a true red handle and a shiny metilliac red base to match the bag they come tucked into!

All in all if you don’t own a ton of brushes and you’re wanting to get some good quality brushes at an affordable price the Muse says look no further then the MAC Adoring Carmine Collection! These are a steal and a deal plus they make a wonderful gift. If you’re new to MAC it’s a great way to get some good solid brushes for great makeup application!

I think the biggest question this Holiday Season is “Do I really need Tarte The Vanity Palette?”. If you indulged in last year’s Tarte We Wish You Wealth Palette you may have asked yourself this question a dozen times already. I know I’ve wondered should I indulge and I know my great friend, Iris, has wondered the same thing! I got quite a few emails as well asking me, “Muse, do I really need this palette?”

So….that’s why you have your Muse…she’s here to make the important decision for you!

And the answer is….

Yes, you need Tarte’s new holiday palette!

If you already have Tarte’s We Wish You Wealth Palette chances are you’re thinking that the colors in the new Vanity palette are all similiar. I’m here to reassure you that the colors are probably somewhat similar but when comparing the two I felt like this year’s shades are quite vibrant compared to last year. Rest assured ALL the colors are brand new even if they look somewhat like shades released from last year!

The palette has been slightly revamped as they have done away with a good portion of the stains, liners, etc..that were housed in the third tier. This means the palette is slightly smaller in content when compared to what you got last year however it doesn’t take away from the value of the palette. Tarte also made a very smart move keeping the price at $52 USD and not raising it. This shows a good, fair sport in the cosmetic world and value for it’s customers. While many companies have taken the high route and raised prices by $2-$3 or more, we, at the very least, have a palette to keep us happy with a good deal of bang for our $52 USD and not an inflated price tag. Tarte We Wish You Wealth had a huge cult following last year and many, many cosmetic junkies far and wide purchased it. Of course, most companies would raise the price on an item that sold so well however Tarte did not. They kept the price as is and that along deserves props as far as the Muse is concerned!

As you can see the third tier of the palette has changed a good deal. Last year you ended up with total of 12 items and this year you’ll be getting 7 items (6 if you aren’t counting the mascara). Whether this is disappointing or not remains to be seen for me. I guess taking away the 24/7 Lip Sheers is not too upsetting as you’re already getting 16 glosses and really don’t need more lip products however I think I will miss the liners. The lid primer I didn’t use so that’s perfectly fine that it was removed. Even though a few items were taken away I do think that the more compact version has taken away from the overwhelming feeling of last year’s palette.

The shadows in this year’s palette seem to have a more vibrant look. Last year the shadows looked washed up and really didn’t excite me where as this year I’m honestly in love with almost every single shade. The glosses have taken on more of a deeper tone and don’t contain as many pinks but lean more towards richer, deeper reds.

With Flash

Without Flash

With Flash

Without Flash

I’m unsure as of yet how I feel that the stains have been replaced by powder blushes. I haven’t tried the powder blushes yet but they look a little too light and may not show up well on my skin but we shall see.

Without Flash

With Flash

I’m happy to see that the luminizer is a large size as I did enjoy the creamy shimmer this gave my cheeks last year. And finally the bronzer I’m not completely sure about but I think I’ll like that.

With Flash

Without Flash

Without Flash

With Flash

I have two minor rants about the palette.

1. I hate the fact they only include two brushes. I’d really appreciate a few strategically placed sponge applicators here and there and maybe a mini blush brush too.

2. The palette swings open and contains a total of 3 tiers which stack on top of each other when closed. Although each tier has a thin sheet of plastic on top to protect the contents, I did notice last year as I used the shadows, blushes, etc…things started becoming messy. So you do have to take extra care when using the palette otherwise you can end up with a major mess!

Aside from those rants I think the palette is a great deal for the season! It honestly makes an ideal gift or, if we are honest with ourselves, a perfect purchase for yourself!

Taking all items into consideration and breaking up the $52 USD price tag you’ll end up paying $1.62 USD per an item which honestly, considering the size of each shadow, gloss, etc…is a great deal.

Overall, I do think it’s worth purchasing for yourself especially if you don’t already have a huge makeup collection. This has a slew of items to create over 30 looks at the very least!

Tarte did a great job with it’s We Wish You Wealth Palette and that’s just carried over into another wonderful piece of work with it’s brand new The Vanity Palette!

Lavshuca has updated it’s site with the brand new Holiday/Winter Collection for this year but don’t get too hyper as it’s nothing exciting that you’ll have to have!

Last year I truly enjoyed the Lavshuca Winter Make Palettes released however this year nothing seems to be truly catching my eye but I will be indulging just so I can review the items for you here at Musings.

Why Lavhusca has succumbed to some of thee most boring shades I’ve ever seen in my life lately is truly beyond me. Spring, Fall, and now Winter are a total devastating disappointment for me. Excuse the Muse while she jumps off the nearest bridge in woe!

The Antique Collection consists of two color variations in a gift box for 1,890 yen each. Each gift box contains a lipgloss and a brand new duo eyeshadow in the style of the older single shadows from Lavshuca. It appears that Lavshuca has taken the initiative to start implementing much of it’s new style packaging in this collection so I think it’s safe to say you’ll see many of the older items become obsolete since they are fully embracing the new aubergine look and leaving behind the lacy white look from the past.

It looks like you can create a brown or a black look with the collection. The first duo contains one black shade and one paler shimmering white or pink shade while the second has a lighter brown shade and either a pale shimmering pink or a cream white (just assuming colors from the pictures). Honestly, you can probably recreate the looks with these gift sets from any number of other items you have in your collection if you collect Lavshuca so it’s not something you absolutely have to run out to get unless you’re a serious fan and collector. The only thing that I find oddly appealing is the little draw gift boxes these come in! Go figure! I’m already thinking up items I can put in them as storage.

Honestly, if you look close enough at last year’s Winter Make palettes from Lavshuca Holiday Collection 2007 you can probably create about the same look as this year!

Lavshuca Holiday 2007: Lavshuca Winter Make Palettes

Also released with the Holiday Collection are brand new stick eyeshadows which you can use to line and shade eyes. Again, another ho-hum item for me and nothing I’m getting to excited about! Believe it or not I’d be more excited to see some sort of cream shadow released to replace the Lavshuca Jelly Eyes from a few years ago! Those were kinda fun and I regret not trying them out for myself at the time!

Although the collection fails to tempt me I will get the two gift sets to review here at Musings. I look forward to Spring 2009 and hope that Lavshuca can redeem it’s downward spiral it’s been on lately for the Muse!

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Eye Palettes started off as an exclusive item from our friends at Nordstrom however Bobbi was feeling generous so she’s included them in with her Winter and Holiday Collection which means you can get ’em from your local Bobbi Brown counter or directly from Bobbi Brown’s website now! No Nordstoms required!

I thought for sure that I’d want to indulge in both versions of this palette but turns out it has some minor flaws that made me feel a little less in love with it. Up till now I’ve been having awesome Bobbi Brown experiences but sadly I wasn’t feeling the love for the Long Wear Eye Palette.

The palette comes in two color variations, Moon Rock and Night Sky. I tested out Night Sky for myself and the palette overall is rather wonderful with a few minor rants here and there from your dear old Muse.

The palette contains two Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadows in Ocean Storm and Rockstar and two Bobbi Brown Gel Eye Liners in Black Ink and Thunder Storm. Ocean Storm has an off cast of gray to it but it appears more like a shimmering white once applied and Rockstar is a deep navy blue that has a slightly shimmery finish. Black Ink is obviously a true black liner shade while Thunder Storm has an off cast of brown but appears very black once applied even though in the photo I took it looks like a true brown.

Ocean Storm and Rock Star

Black Ink and Thunder Storm

Rockstar, Ocean Storm, Blank Ink, and Thunder Storm

RockStar and Ocean Storm

Black Ink and Thunder Storm

You can probably get a total of four looks from the palette but I just choose to do one complete look by using the two cream shadows and one liner. To do my look I used Ocean Storm as an eye prep from lid to crease and followed up with Rockstar all over my lid. To complete my look I used the Bobbi Brown Gel Eye Liner in Black in on my lower lash line and upper lash line. There is absolutely no denying that the completed look has a nice sophisticated edge. I thought it opened my eyes up and created a soft, pretty look however this does not change my mind about some of the problems that arose while using the palette.

One major problem with the palette is the packaging. Although the packaging looked ideal to me it needs a tiny bit of work to be perfect. The palette contains a lid for each of the liners and shadows. This is a wonderful idea as it protects the contents of the palette and keeps the liners and shadows from hardening. Each lid snaps open and closed to protect the content of each “well” however I find it very difficult unsnapping each lid. Each time I used the palette I had to get a nail file and wriggle it under the lid to get them to pop up and open. Maybe after a few uses the lids will loosen enough to open easy but at this point I struggle with them every time I use the palette. Although I completely appreciate the idea behind the lids I do get a major case of irritation that it takes so long to get each lid open prior to use.

As I mentioned I simply adored the finished look the palette gave my eyes however the cream shadows have a crummy formula in my humblest. They blend very streaky and even after a few layers color payoff isn’t too fabulous. I won’t rant too much on pigmentation considering I think the idea is to give a very light finish and not bold and loud however after five layers of Rockstar I finally decided that this was the best I was going to get in the color department and I wasn’t going to stretch it out any further. The shadows do have a great formula for the simple fact that they don’t dry right away so you have plenty of time to layer, blend, and just generally work with the shadow before it completely dries down. Cream shadow formulas that remain moist for a while are really user friendly in my opinion and Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eye Cream gets a rave in that department. However, this doesn’t take away from the fact that they seriously apply in a major streaky messy. As I move my finger across my eye to blend I end up completely removing the shadow so I take my brush add more color and reblend with my fingertip and again and again and over and over I proceed to repeat the process a million times. After a while, if I’m lucky, I’ll finally have a good layer of product and my bare lid won’t show through but this does take a good 20 minutes to perfect since for some odd reason the shadow just streaks every which way from Friday!

I almost failed to mention the palette also includes a dual sides brush which is very nice. One end has a shadow brush applicator and the other side has a thin liner brush with cap! I totally appreciated the fact that they included a cap for the liner brush as after using liner it’s always messy to put the brush back into the palette.

Overall, the palette is actually really nice with a few minor imperfections however it’s these imperfections that will probably prevent me from purchasing the second color available. I loved the look I created using the palette but I think the packaging needs a tiny bit of work and the formula on the cream shadows could be slightly better!

I do recommend heading to your counter and trying it out for yourself as you might very well fall into the love/hate relationship I’m currently having with it! Not all bad but not completely good either!

The Muse’s opinion remains open on this one and she hopes as time passes she’ll grow to love it!

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eye Palettes are available now at the Bobbi Brown Website or your local counter! They are limited edition and $55 USD each!

The Anna Sui website has been updated with the Christmas Collection which includes new nail polishes, new duo eyeshadows, and a few new shades of shimmer/glitter vials!

Honestly, as cute as the collection is I’m not particularly thrilled as the colors just aren’t what I like for a Holiday collection but they are limited edition which does up the appeal but ado even that doesn’t tempt me.

Two limited edition pouches with four nail polishes for 4,200 yen each are available.

Three limited edition eyeshadow duos are available as well at 2,500 yen each. These look darling but honestly the shades aren’t what I’d called Holiday friendly. Now if it was Spring or Summer I’d probably be all over these but I look for more shimmery, lighter colors come the Holiday!

And finally four new shades of the shimmer/glitter vials are available for 2,000 yen each. The shades are blue, silver, purple, and an off gold. These aren’t appealing at all to me either.

It looks like a perfectly nice selection but I think I’ll be skipping on a majority of it as it just doesn’t hold any interest for me. The selections are available within Japan only however a few select online shops do have the line available for purchase if you’re feeling a desire to own it for your very self!